Most people have a daily routine for washing their face. For some, it's as simple as splashing a bit of water around and briskly drying off with a towel. Others are more ritualistic, as they scrub their skin mercilessly before applying countless chemicals and creams. Most of these routines, as common as they might be, can make a person's facial skin very unhappy, and this can lead to red, irritated skin that is either extremely dry from excessive scrubbing, or extremely oily from the body's attempt at balance. If this kind of facial neglect or abuse sounds familiar, we want you to know there's a better way: the oil cleansing method.
The basic theory behind this method of facial cleansing is that like cleans like. In other words, oil will clean the oil off your face more efficiently than soap and water, without creating an imbalance. Like everything, facial and neck skin is determined to find equilibrium, but production of the oil secreted through skin can be thrown off by harsh treatment. Stripping away too much oil first causes damage by drying out the skin too much. Then, as facial skin works overtime to replenish lost oil, it becomes greasy again, which inevitably leads to more cleansing. The problem is that most people are not aware their skin issues can be a result of improper care. They are stuck in a vicious cycle of bad habits that only makes matters worse. Because of this, Wunder Budder is launching a campaign to save facial skin from unnecessary abuse, and we'll do it one face at a time, if we have to!
What you'll need to start:
- Oil: Oil Cleansing Beauty Oil, Facial Oil, or a high quality botanical oil you have in your home, such as coconut or olive (do not use "baby oil" or other petroleum-based oil)
- Washcloth
- Approximately 5 minutes of time
For a gentler approach to facial cleansing, just relax and follow these instructions:
- First, warm the skin and open the pores for 1-2 minutes by steaming your face over a bowl of hot water, or by applying a warm (not hot), moist washcloth.
- Massage about 1 teaspoon of facial oil into your face and neck (avoiding eyes) until your skin is saturated.
- Lie down and lay a warm, damp washcloth over your face for a minute or two. Remove the washcloth just before it cools completely.
- Re-moisten the washcloth with warm water and use it to gently remove the oil from your face and neck, rinsing as needed.
- Once all the oil is removed, pat your face softly with a cool, moist cloth.
Short on time? We know what that's like, so we also have a quick-cleanse method:
- Add a few drops of oil to a cotton pad, and moisten with a small amount of water to aid in spreading, squeezing out the excess.
- Gently sweep the moistened pad over your entire face and neck (avoiding eyes) to remove build-up of dirt and oil.
- To remove excess oil and remaining dirt, flip the pad over to the clean side (or grab a new one and moisten) and sweep over face again.
- Repeat these steps if needed, but in normal everyday life, once is usually enough.
Another big advantage to this method is that no additional moisturizers are needed after oil cleansing, unless you have extremely dry skin or live in the desert (where oil disappears). You can just let your skin do its thing, leaving your face feeling happy and healthy. And, most importantly, don't forget to smile!
Need a good oil cleansing oil? Check out our Facial Oils.
You may also like:
Top 5 Carrier Oils for Natural Skincare